The Meanwhile EP is an extended play by English virtual band Gorillaz. It was released on 26 August 2021.

Background[]

On 29 June 2021, Damon Albarn revealed in an interview with NME that Gorillaz was working on new "carnival-themed music", saying that their upcoming record would return to the band's roots.^[1]

The Meanwhile EP was released as an homage to the Notting Hill Carnival, an annual event that takes place in London and where the band made their debut performace in August of 2000 with the Ed Case Refix of Clint Eastwood, but which got cancelled in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The songs from the EP where first revealed and played live on 10 August 2021, during a free concert at the O2 Arena in London exclusively for the UK National Health Service^W employees and their families.^[2] They then performed them again at the subsequent concert open to the public the next day (both of which served as the first live audience concerts of the Song Machine Tour).

The cover for the EP features the Trellick Tower, a building in London where Damon and Jamie lived together and conceived the idea of Gorillaz. This building can be seen in Tomorrow Comes Today's music video and has made recurring appearances in many Gorillaz images throughout the years. The EP and its title track are named after the Meanwhile Gardens, a community garden very close by the Trellick Tower.

Pressing[]

On 23 September 2021, Gorillaz announced through their social media platforms that they were going to release 100 numbered limited-edition copies of a 12" vinyl of the EP as a test pressing, exclusive to a few select record stores across the UK, the US, Mexico, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Russia, France and Spain. Despite this, however, the EP never received a broader commercial release, which led to controversy among the fanbase as a result of its extremely limited quantity, unavailability in most countries and regions, contradictory statements made by some of the record stores chosen to distribute the records and the outrageously high prices they started to sell for on the second-hand market shortly after they had been distributed.

Track Listing[]

All songs written and composed by 2-D, Damon Albarn, Remi Kabaka Jr. and the songs' respective guest(s). 

Personnel[]

Musicians[]

• Damon Albarn - vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards ^{(tracks 1, 2)}, steelpans ^{(track 1)}, melodica ^{(track 2)}
• Remi Kabaka Jr. - percussion, drum programming ^{(tracks 1, 2)}
• Femi Koleoso - drums ^{(tracks 1, 3)}
• Jelani Blackman - vocals ^{(track 1)}
• Barrington Levy - vocals ^{(track 1)}
• Jorja Smith - additional vocals ^{(track 1)}
• Demon Strings - strings ^{(track 1)}
  • Isabelle Dunn - cello
  • Nina Foster - violin
  • Oli Langford - violin
  • Sarah Tuke - violin
• AJ Tracey - vocals ^{(track 2)}
• Alicaì Harley - vocals ^{(track 3)}
• Mike Smith - keyboards ^{(track 3)}
• Jeff Wootton - guitar ^{(track 3)}
• Jesse Hackett - keyboards ^{(track 3)}
• Karl Vanden Bossche - percussion ^{(track 3)}
• Seye Adelekan - bass ^{(track 3)}
• The Humanz Choir - additional vocals ^{(track 3)}
  • Adeleye Omotayo
  • Angel Silvera
  • Matt Maijah
  • Michelle Ndegwa
  • Petra Luke
  • Rebecca Freckleton

Technical[]

• Damon Albarn - production
• Remi Kabaka Jr. - production
• Stephen Sedgwick - mixing ^{(tracks 1, 2)}
• John Davis - mastering
• Samuel Egglenton - engineering ^{(tracks 1, 2)}
• Alicaì Harley - programming ^{(track 3)}
• Dave Guerin - engineering ^{(track 3)}
• Matt Butcher - engineering, mixing ^{(track 3)}

Artwork[]

• Jamie Hewlett - artwork, design

Gallery[]

Promo art featuring the Trellick Tower.

Vinyl pressing

Meanwhile Momentz 👀

Jimmy Jimmy Momentz with AJ Tracey

Déjà Vu Momentz with Alicaì Harley

Trivia[]

• An art for the EP references the back cover of the compilation album G-Sides.

References[]

Navigation[]